More than 7 in 10 (71%) British adults aged 16-75 say they have shopped online within the last three months.
The average UK household now places around 2.5 online orders per month – the equivalent of roughly 31 per year.1
This level of e-commerce has led in part to a marked decline in the number of journeys being made to the shops by car.
While two thirds (66%) of adults say they use a personal vehicle to go in-store shopping at least once a week, more than one in six adults (17%) are now making less shopping trips in a personal vehicle than a year ago.
Of those making fewer trips:
- 23% say it is because they now shop more online
- 22% travel by other means
- 21% shop less overall
- 20% can’t afford to shop as much as they used to
The trends are revealed in survey data from Ipsos MORI who were commissioned by the RAC Foundation to investigate online shopping habits.
Two in five adults (41%) say they buy their groceries online at least once a month.
More than four in five (83%) say they have used the internet at least once to buy clothing, footwear, books, CDs or DVDs. Almost four in five adults (79%) say they have bought electronics online, while for household appliances and furniture it is three quarters (74%) of adults.
Of those adults who shop online for these various items:
- 23% use click and collect in store for clothing and footwear purchases
- 17% use click and collect in store for electronic goods
- 13% use click and collect in store for groceries
- 11% use click and collect in store for household appliances and furniture
- 9% use click and collect in store for books, CDs and DVDs
